


Not So Imaginary

by theaceupmysleeveisme



Series: Sanders Sides Oneshots [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: TW warning Deceit, and he’s not mean, but the snek boi only shows up for .2 seconds, i hope you like it tho, idek know what this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 10:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaceupmysleeveisme/pseuds/theaceupmysleeveisme
Summary: “Have you noticed Thomas acting... strangely?”“No... why?”Joan wouldn’t say they were concerned, per se. But anyone had to admit, walking around the house in costume was a little out of the ordinary.





	Not So Imaginary

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fic on this sight, but I had this idea and I felt like sharing.

The first time it happened, Joan thought they had dreamed it.

The sound of someone moving in the kitchen had made Joan jerk awake, temporarily forgetting where they were. As the haze of sleep faded, they recognized the faint outline of Thomas’s living room, and the memories of last night became clearer. In order to finish up editing for the new Sanders Sides video, they stayed late, and apparently, fell asleep mid-editing.

There was another noise from the kitchen, and Joan sat up, noticing the light streaming from the open fridge. Sighing, they got up from the couch, but not before noting that Thomas had laid out a blanket for them.

With a smile on their face, Joan walked softly to the kitchen, where what appeared to be Thomas was still rummaging through the fridge. They yawned, rubbing the sleep from their eyes before tapping Thomas on the shoulder.

“Whatcha doing there, buddy?” Thomas jumped, spinning around to face Joan. Joan raised an eyebrow when they realized Thomas was wearing a unicorn onesie, their confusion doubling at the sight of the glasses on Thomas’s face. 

“Ah,” Thomas said. There was an uncomfortable pause. “I... did not mean to wake you, Joan, I apologize.” His words were short and clipped, to the point where Joan had to take a moment to process just what was going on.

“Are... are you alright Thomas?”

“Yes, everything is...” Thomas seemed to be searching for the right words. “Gucci, fam.” 

“Okay...” Joan drew out the word. “Next question: why are you wearing the glasses for Logan’s costume?” Thomas’s hands flew up to his face, as if just now realizing he had them on. 

“Oh.” Thomas hesitated, before pulling the glasses off, stuffing them into the pocket of his unicorn onesie. There was a moment of awkward silence. “Well, I suppose that I’ll be returning to bed now.” Joan just nodded, still confused. “Goodnight, Joan, this has been... lit.” 

On his way out of the kitchen, Thomas’s shoulder clipped the wall, and he stepped back, surprised for a moment, like he hadn’t seen it coming. The he simply shook his head and kept walking. Joan just stared as Thomas walked up the stairs, and, not surprisingly, was still confused.

~

The second instance happened barely two weeks later.

Joan and Thomas were planning on getting lunch together to take a break from all the work they’d both been doing. Joan walked up to Thomas’s door, knocking on it. They waited for a moment, until Thomas’s voice called out.

“Come in!”

Joan pushed open the door, walking into the apartment... and straight into Thomas. 

“Oh, sorry kidd- oh, hi Joan!” Thomas chirped cheerfully. 

“Hey. Sorry about that, I guess I wasn’t paying attention.” Joan leaned down to pick up their beanie, which had fallen off during the collision. When they stood back up, they took a step back in surprise.

Thomas, once again, was wearing props around the house. But this time, instead of just wearing glasses, he had on Patton’s entire outfit, cat hoodie included. 

Joan shook their head, blinking rapidly to make sure they weren’t imagining it. 

They sighed, deciding to just roll with it. “Are you ready to go?”

“Go?”

“Lunch?”

“Lunch, lunch...” Thomas muttered. “Oh, lunch!” He moved past Joan, and darted off to his bedroom. “I’ll be right there!” He called.

Joan leaned against the wall in boredom, Thomas’s odd behavior baffling them once again. 

They didn’t get much time to think however, because Thomas has changed faster than what was humanly possible, and was practically pushing Joan out the door.

Joan didn’t really mind, and by the time the two met up with their friends for lunch, Joan had already forgotten about the incident.

-

The third time had to be the weirdest yet.

Joan shifted the gift in their hands as they walked into Thomas’s living room. Thomas’s birthday had been last week, and Joan still felt guilty over the fact that they lost his gift. So, in order to make it up to him, Joan decided they would surprise Thomas by bringing it to his house.

Footsteps came from the hallway, and Joan grinned as an idea popped into their head. Hiding behind a corner, they waited until Thomas was right there, before jumping out and yelling as loud as they could.

A scream echoed throughout the house, and Joan could’ve sworn they heard a thwack along with another muffled scream, but they were too focused on Thomas to notice. In fact, they were focused to the point where they didn’t see the flash of red and white sinking down behind the strangely dressed Thomas.

“Are... are you alright buddy?” Joan asked. Thomas’s chest was heaving, his eyes wide as he tried to calm himself down. “You seem a bit high strung.” 

“I- I’m fine.” Thomas muttered. 

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.” Joan raised a skeptical eyebrow, but decided to push it aside and address the next question.

“So, what’s up with the get up?” Thomas’s eyes widened, and he glanced down at his outfit. He was wearing the Anxiety hoodie, which wouldn’t have been too odd, if it weren’t for the fact he was also wearing the signature eyeshadow.

“Ahhh... I was experimenting?” Thomas tapped his foot as he waited for Joan to buy his story. 

With a sigh, Joan gave up on trying to understand his friend. “Okay, whatever.” Thomas’s stance seemed to relax slightly at their words. 

A few minutes and an awkward conversation later, Joan was walking out the door, scratching their head at the behavior of their friend, which seemed to just keep getting weirder and weirder.

It was only after they got in their car and made it halfway home that Joan realized that they hadn’t even given Thomas his gift.

-

Joan couldn’t let go of the strange way Thomas had been acting. It had been over a month since the last... incident, and yet it still bothered them.

Now, as they walked up to Thomas’s door, along with Talyn, they couldn’t help but think about it. They raised their hand to knock, but hesitated, turning to Talyn.

“Have you... noticed Thomas acting strangely?” 

Talyn raised an eyebrow that matched the shade of their hair. “No. Why?”

“He’s been walking around in the side’s costumes.”

“That’s what’s worrying you?” Talyn obviously didn’t seem concerned. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe he just gets bored.” Joan sighed. They did have a point.

“I guess... d-” Whatever Joan was about to say next was cut off by a familiar shriek from inside the house. 

The two glanced at each other, before rushing in the house. What they both found... was something they never could’ve imagined.

Thomas was currently trying to calm down four different versions of himself.

The Sides, to be exact.

Virgil was sitting on top of a shelf, triumphantly holding a red sash in his hands. Patton was sitting next to him, a cookie in each hand.

“GIVE IT BACK YOU EMO NIGHTMARE!” Roman was shouting at the anxious side, holding his sword threateningly. Virgil waved the sash tauntingly, and Logan in between the two in order to prevent Virgil from getting impaled.

“Now kiddos,” Patton placated. “Let’s not have crumby attitudes!” He held up the cookie with a grin on his face. 

Logan groaned, whether from the pun or the effort of holding Roman back, no one could tell.

“Padre!” Roman gasped, offended. “Puns at a time like this?! He took my sash!”

“That’s just the way the cookie crumbles, Romano.” Virgil cackled at the even louder groan from this time both Logan and Roman. 

However, Patton squealed.

“A pun?!” He wrapped his arms around Virgil. “I’m so proud of you!”

“What can I say? I’m a chip off the old block.” An even louder squeal of joy came from Patton, and Virgil grunted as the side squeezed harder.

“Stop using your vile tricks to get him on your side!” Roman accused.

“Ha, Sanders Sides.”

“It’s not my fault that he likes me.”

“To be fair, Patton likes everyone.” Logan pointed out.

“GUYS!” Thomas was full out yelling to get their attention, but the sides simply argued louder, making Thomas put his head in his hands.

Joan and Talyn stood there in shock, neither of them able to process what was going on.

“Thomas. There is definitely not someone behind you.” Talyn shrieked when a voice came from right beside them. Both Joan and Talyn stared at the familiar half snake face of Deceit. “What a calm reaction.” Deceit muttered.

Talyn’s shout had attracted the attention of both Thomas and his Sides, who stared like deer in headlights at the pair.

“Well this should be easy to explain.” Deceit smirked before sinking out. 

“Uhhh, hi, guys.” Thomas said, giving an awkward half wave. The various sides behind him did the same. “I can explain?”


End file.
